


Hold On

by Rangergirl3



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Gen, Hurt Keith (Voltron), Keith (Voltron) Whump, Keith (Voltron)-centric, platonic friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-27
Updated: 2020-11-27
Packaged: 2021-03-09 23:54:56
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 691
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27734905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rangergirl3/pseuds/Rangergirl3
Summary: Keith has a bad headache, and talks to himself.
Relationships: Keith & Pidge | Katie Holt
Comments: 7
Kudos: 66





	Hold On

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Jpnpr](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jpnpr/gifts).



He was so, _so_ tired. 

Keith rested the side of his head against the floor of the room. It wasn’t difficult to manage, but he knew it would only provide temporary relief.

He couldn’t remember when he’d last been able to rest.

* * *

* * *

He’d used to believe that accumulated exhaustion or even simple unconsciousness could sometimes substitute for rest.

Shiro had told him that it didn’t, of course. Over time, Keith had come to believe his friend.

* * *

* * *

_‘What kind of fucked up mindset is that?!’_

Lance’s voice was higher than usual, almost scared.

‘Dude, chill, it’s not like - um - I mean -‘

Even Hunk sounded genuinely concerned.

Keith’s heart sank, even as his stomach roiled in growing fear as he stopped outside of the training room.

_Oh, no._

He hadn’t meant to - no, no, _no_.

_Were they scared of him now?_

* * *

Shiro’s voice cut through the noise in the training room.

“Lance, Hunk. Stop talking for a second, and think -”

“About _what_?!” Lance answered. “About how Keith thought he could just get right back into the training session _after getting knocked_ _senseless_?! Or, or should it be because he said -“

“I know what he _said_ ,” Shiro replied. “But did you ever stop to think what it might _mean_?”

There was a brief pause.

* * *

“Uh...maybe it means something like, Keith doesn’t...um...know what actual recovery is...supposed to be like?”

Hunks voice was hesitant, almost timid as he continued.

“-or, maybe he - um, got told - got told something like, that he didn't...need...time to recover? Or, oh, god... Or…was it that he was never...never even _given_...time to recover...? Something like...that?”

When Shiro answered, his voice was sad. “Yeah. Something like that.”

* * *

* * *

Another stabbing pain shot through Keith's forehead, and he grimaced.

 _Damn_.

This headache...it was _bad_. 

Part of him knew he should use the comms, ask someone to bring him some pain meds from the infirmary, but he doesn't want to bother anyone.

Anyway, he's used to doing things on his own.

* * *

 _You do realize_ , someone who sounds a lot like him points out, _that you're not alone anymore_.

Keith groans and buries his head underneath his pillow.

And now, he's having hallucinations. **Super**.

 _No, not a hallucination,_ the voice says. _Just a part of you that you wish you could keep ignoring._

Keith half-growls an answer to the seemingly empty room.

"Yeah, the _crazy_ part."

He could swear he hears a laugh before the answer comes back to him.

_Maybe. Or, maybe not. But either way, you **are** still talking to yourself right now._

Keith growls then, really growls. It's a snarl.

"Go. _Away_."

Another imagined huff of laughter, not mocking, just...amused. 

_Okay. I will - right **after** you use the comms to ask Pidge for some pain meds._

Keith complies.

"There," he growls at the empty room. "She's on her way. Can you leave me alone now?"

At first, the voice that had sounded remarkably similar to his own does not reply.

_You...do know that I'm you, right?_

Keith buries his head underneath his pillow again.

 _"Yup,"_ he mutters to himself. "Sure. Whatever. Now go away."

_I'll stop talking, but one way or another...I'm afraid you're stuck with me._

"Oh? And just _who_ are you?"

_I'm you, Keith, just - older. By a few years._

Keith wills himself to remain sane. It works as well as it's ever done, which is to say, results may vary.

* * *

Okay. Okay. Okay.

He's talking to himself.

Sure. 

Why not?

* * *

His older self tells Keith that the team cares for him, and continues to do so, even in the future. Yeah, Lance still drives them - him? - crazy sometimes, but even with all the ups and downs, it's a good life.

* * *

When Pidge arrives at the room, Keith asks her if she thinks he's crazy.

"If you're crazy," she says, placing a glass of water and the pain meds on his bed's side table, "Then so am I."

She gives him a grin and a quick thumbs-up sign.

"I mean, worse things to be then _this_ kind of crazy, right?"

Keith nods, once, slowly.

"Yeah. I guess so."

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed it, jpnpr <3 <3


End file.
